1. Field of Invention
The present invention is related to a buckle device.
2. Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,092 issued to the applicant of the present patent application discloses a conventional buckle device. The conventional buckle device works well in securing two straps or two ends of a same strap in order to fasten objects. The conventional buckle device is however complicated in structure, i.e., consists of a lot of elements and therefore takes a long period of time to assemble and inevitably entails a high cost.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a buckle device that is simple in structure.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a buckle device that is inexpensive to manufacture.
In the present invention, a buckle device includes a body, a fastening element and a latch assembly. A first strap is secured to the body. The fastening element includes a rod formed thereon. The fastening element is mounted on the body so that it can be pivoted between a first position for allowing winding of a second strap around the rod and a second position for tensing up the second strap by means of the rod. The latch assembly is capable of retaining the fastening element in the second position relative to the body.
The body includes two side plates connected with each other by means of an intermediate plate. The fastening element includes two side plates connected with each other by means of an intermediate plate. The side plates of the fastening element are connected with the side plates of the body.
The rod is formed between the side plates of the fastening element.
The latch assembly includes a latch mounted on the fastening element. Each of the side plates of the body includes a hook formed thereon for engagement with the latch when the fastening element is in the second position relative to the body.
The latch can slide on the fastening element. The latch includes two fins projecting in opposite directions. Each of the side plates of the fastening element defines a slot for receiving one of the fins of the latch.
The latch assembly includes an elastic element connected between the fastening element and the latch for forcing the latch into engagement with the hooks when the fastening element reaches the second position relative to the body. The fastening element includes a retainer formed thereon, and the latch includes a retainer formed thereon. The elastic element is positioned between the retainer of the fastening element and the retainer of the latch.
Each of the hooks includes an inclined edge on which one of the fins slides when the fastening element is reaching the second position relative to the body, thus compressing the elastic element.
A shaft is used to mount the fastening element on the body. The side plates of the body each define a hole for receiving the shaft, and the side plates of the fastening element each define a hole for receiving the shaft. The shaft includes a first end formed with a head and a second end defining an annular groove for receiving a C-clip in order to retain the shaft in position.